Parents and parishioners appeal closure of Wanaque's St. Francis School

The St. Francis of Assisi School choir performed its annual spring concert on May 14. Parish officials announced on May 8 that the school would close at the end of June, but parents and alumni have petitioned the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson with an appeal.

Tim Lehman just wants his children to have another chance to receive a comprehensive Catholic-based elementary education close to home.

Like many parents and alumni of St. Francis of Assisi School, the Haskell resident was surprised when Pastor Reverend David Pickens announced on May 8 that the school would close at the end of June.

"We knew the school was in bad shape," Lehman told Suburban Trends on May 28, "but we didn’t know how bad."

Declining enrollment and financial issues were cited as primary reasons for ending the school’s 102-year history. Enrollment for 2013-14 included 137 students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight, with 27 children in the school’s two preschool classes. Through May 1, only 83 students had registered to attend this coming September.

St. Francis Parish is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, led by Bishop Arthur Serratelli.

In response to the closure announcement, 11 parishioners formed a committee to explore the possibility of appealing the decision. Although he says he is not a formal spokesperson for the group, Lehman said he agreed to chair the committee and steer it in the right direction.

As an alumnus of St. Francis with two children currently enrolled, Lehman feels that a fundamental breakdown in communication between parish officials and the rest of the community has caused an atmosphere of distrust between the two parties.

"In February, we were told there was a five-year plan," he said. "They said that the school would remain open."

The ad-hoc committee held an open meeting on Sunday, May 18 to generate interest in a letter-writing campaign and explain the element of Canon law which gives a parish 10 days to appeal a school closing. An enthusiastic crowd showed up ready to act.

"A hundred people showed up on short notice," Lehman said. "I was quite surprised by the response."

Using a form letter as a basic template, the committee encouraged people to include their personal feelings in these transmissions so that the parish and diocese leadership would understand how the school closure is going to affect them. Within days, more than 250 letters had been collected.

"There was a groundswell of momentum," Lehman said.

By the end of the 10-day period, the letters were delivered in bulk to Pastor Pickens and Bishop Serratelli. Lehman said that Pickens acknowledged that he had received the package, but offered no other message. No timeframe has been given for when a more elaborate response might be expected.

In the meantime, Lehman said, he and his wife are considering the future of their children’s education. They have visited two Catholic schools in the area and plan to look at a few more.

"In case the appeal is not granted," he said, "we’re exploring all our options."

Foundation of fundraising

Fundraising is an important activity at St. Francis. Parents are expected to volunteer at the annual carnival, to sell raffle tickets, and participate in other income-generating activities. It’s not as though they haven’t been doing their part, according to Lehman.

"Our parish brought in more than $300,000 for the (nationwide) Partners in Faith fund drive," he said.

A Feb. 18 statement posted on the St. Francis Home and School Association webpage indicates that fundraising for 2013-14 had fallen short by $25,000. Raffle ticket sales were described as down $2,500 from the previous year.

Another St. Francis mom and graduate, Michelle Nicol of West Milford, agreed with Lehman that prior to the May 8 announcement, there was little indication that the school was in dire straits.

"Fundraising is always an issue," Nicol said, "but we came out of the February meeting feeling like we were OK."